Book review

Ingrid Tichá, J. Velemínský, Kateřina Pánková, J. Tupý, P. Tichý, Z. Šesták, A. Lebeda, T. Gichner, B. Slavík, Danuše Hodánová, M. Kamínek, Jarmila Solárová

Biologia plantarum 26:311-318, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902917

In memoriam of RNDr Jaroslav Brčák, DrSc.

F. Pospíšil

Biologia plantarum 26:319-320, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902918

Effect of phenolic acids on anthocyanin content in maize roots

Abha Jain, H. S. Srivastava

Biologia plantarum 26:241, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902901

Supply of 0.01 to 5.0 mM salicylic, caffeic and gallic acids, either during imbibition of seeds for 24 to 48 h or during seedling growth increased anthocyanin production in maize (Zea mays L. cv. Ganga safed-2) roots. While tyrosine had no effect, phenylalanine either in the presence or absence of the phenolic acids increased anthocyanin content. Glucose in a concentration range of 1 to 20 mM and shikimic acid in 0.01 to 5.0 mM range also increased pigment level, which was higher in the presence of salicylic acid than in it.s absence. The experiments demonstrate the possibility of some indirect effects of salicylic acid and other phenolic acids...

Effect of water stress on leaf and root growth, and water uptake ofGmelina arborea ROXB. seedlings

O. Osonubi

Biologia plantarum 26:246-252, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902903

Young seedlings ofGmelina arborea Roxb. were subjected to 2 weeks of drought. Despite the gradual reduction in stomatal conductance, leaf and root growth was not affected until the later part of the stress period. This was attributed to solute adjustment in the roots of the plants. As the severity of water stress increased, root growth was prolific in all the soil segments. As a result, water in the lowest soil segment was used to maintain plant turgor, which in turn sustains the leaf and root growth during the water-stress treatment. The influence of soil water content and soil water potential upon soil water uptake rate was also evaluated...

Seasonal changes and metabolism of plant hormones in root nodules ofLens sp.

T. K. Dangar, P. S. Basu

Biologia plantarum 26:253, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902904

The mature nodules ofLens esculenta Moench. contained higher levels of indolyl acetic acid (IAA), cytokinins (CK), gibberellic acid (GA)-like substances and more active in nitrogenase (N₂-ase) activity than young or old ones. Synthesis of IAA and its metabolism was found to be controlled by tryptophan (tryp) and phenol metabolism, respectively, in nodules of different ages. An abscisic acid (ABA)-like substance being a 'late growth phase' hormone, was highest in old nodules.IAA and CK were highest in winter when N₂-ase activity was also highest but then GA and ABA were low. The IAA metabolic pattern of both roots and...

Influence on chromosome behaviour, nucleic acid content and ultra-structural analysis of accessories inUrginea indica KUNTH.

Sumita Jha, Sumitra Sen

Biologia plantarum 26:260-262, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902906

The occurrence of polysomaty was noted in a diploid cytotype ofUrginea indica with B chromosomes. These accessories could be clearly distinguished from the other chromosomes in their stainability, very small size, morphology, variability and irregular behaviour. The variant nuclei were hyperdiploid, hypertriploid and hypertetraploid. B chromosomes were noted only in diploid cells and no accessories could be recorded in cells showing higher chromosome number.The amount of DNA content as indicated by the absorbance is rather low as compared to the diploid without accessories which may be due to the shorter size of the chromosomes. Under ultrastructural...

Effect of water stress at different developmental stages of field-grown rice

Ajoy K. Biswas, M. A. Choudhuri

Biologia plantarum 26:263-266, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902907

Water-stress for 10d at different developmental stages, affected relative water content and leaf water potential of plants. Subsequent rewatering removed these effects. Water stress lowered the contents of chlorophyll, protein, RNA and the activity of catalase, while it increased free proline accumulation and activities of protease, RNase and peroxidase. An overall improvement in biochemical parameters was achieved as soon as the stress was withdrawn by watering and this was reflected in subsequent developmental stages. Water-stress at the reproductive stages induced similar changes as in the vegetative stage but the removal of stress could not improve...

Senescence of rice leaves at the vegetative stage as affected by growth substances

S. Ray, M. A. Choudhuri

Biologia plantarum 26:267, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902908

In rice (Oryza saliva L. ev. Java), the first (younger) leaf senesced later than the second (older) leaf as shown by the decline in chlorophyll and protein contents. Kinetin treatment significantly retarded senescence of leaves, while abscisic acid (ABA) treatment promoted it. The second leaf exported more³²P to the newly emerged growing leaf at the early stages than the first leaf, which always showed higher retention of³²P than the second one. Kinetin treatment lengthened the duration of³²P export and also increased the retention capacity of both leaves, while ABA had the opposite effect. The second leaf showed...

Some properties of pea cholinesterase and its activity in plant parts at different growth stages

Květa Vacková, M. Kutáček, Rita M. de Almeida

Biologia plantarum 26:275, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902909

Cholinesterase activity was studied in 2 to 10-week-old pea plants cultivated under artificial illumination. Free and membrane-bound forms of the enzyme were separated by extracting the enzyme from pea shoots with buffers differing in ionic strength. The ratio of the free cholinesterase to the membrane-bound one fluctuated between 1 : 1 and 1 : 2.5. The free cholinesterase was inhibited by neostigmine (0.1mmoll^-1) by 50%, the membrane-bound enzyme by 90%. The pH optimum of cholinesterase activity was 8.5, the temperature optimum 37 °C. The enzyme activity was increased by some cations in this order: Mg²⁺ < < K⁺....

Yield and yield components in flue-cured tobacco and their genetic analysis

H. Ibrahim, B. Slavík, Nadězda Avratovščuková

Biologia plantarum 26:285-292, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902910

Five cultivars and the half diallel set of 10 F₁ hybrids of flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were grown in two seasons. Highly significant differences were assessed between genotypes as concerns flowering time, plant height, number of leaves, leaf length and width and yield per plot. High to moderate values for heritability in the broad sense were obtained in all cases. Hybrids, in general, flowered earlier, were taller, had fewer but shorter and wider leaves and slightly increased yield when compared with the mean value of all parents. The variance associated with general combining ability (GCA) was highly significant in...

Cytogenetic effect of plant tissue culture medium with certain growth substances onAllium sativum L. meristem root tip cells

J. Doležel, F. J. Novák

Biologia plantarum 26:293-298, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902911

The effect of plant tissue culture medium with different concentrations and combinations of growth regulators (kinetin, indol-3-ylacetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) was evaluated on mitosis ofAllium sativum meristem root tip cells. Different combinations of growth regulators at low concentrations had no effect on induction of mitotic aberrations or inhibition of mitotic activity. Inhibition of mitotic activity, a tendency to chromosome stickiness and clumping and a slight increase in the frequency of mitotic aberrations were observed at higher concentrations. It may be proposed that plant tissue culture media have no direct effect...

An analysis of somatic and meiotic behaviour of chromosomes ofBowiea volubilis HARV.

Sumita Jha, Sumitra Sen

Biologia plantarum 26:299-302, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902912

A critical analysis of karyotype and meiosis ofBowiea volubilis Harv. showed normal bivalent formation with considerable irregularities in meiosis. Asynchrony is manifested to a significant extent within the anther where the range is between pollen grains and early stages of pollen mother cells.

Effects of chemical and physico-chemical factors on sugar-beet invertase activity

Milena Bohuslavská, J. Zahradníček, Dana Michaljaničová, A. Kotyk

Biologia plantarum 26:303, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902914

Sugar-beet invertase preparation was found to be highly temperature-dependent in its activity (T_opt = 40 °C), to be decreased by bivalent metal salts (especially CaCl₂ and MgCl₂ and relatively unaffected by heavy metal cations from the end of the periodic table. Inhibitors of SH groups, such as iodoacetamide andp-chloromercuribenzoate, were highly inhibitory while ouabain was a medium-strength inhibitor, with 2,4-dinitrophenol having no effect. The intracellular pH of 7.3, corresponding to the optimum for invertase (at 7.2) could be substantially decreased (to 5.8) by exposure of cells of whole sugar-beet roots...

Control of phosphatase activities of duckweed by senescence and phosphorus deficiency

S. Strother

Biologia plantarum 26:309, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902916

The interaction of senescence and phosphorus deficiency in determining phosphatase activities ofLemna minor has been examined in axenic cultures. Acid phosphatase activity increased in phosphorus deficiency, alkaline pyrophosphatase activity decreased during senescence and this decrease was exaggerated by phosphorus deficiency. The results are discussed in relation to possible functional significance of the enzyme activities.

Gluzman, Y., Shenk, T. (ed.)Enhancers and Eukaryotic Gene Expression.

J. Tupý

Biologia plantarum 26:245, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902902

Walter, H., Breckle, S.-W.: Okologische Grundlagen in Globaler Sicht

Ingrid Tichá

Biologia plantarum 26:259, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902905

Markham, U. R.: Techniques of Flavonoid Identification.

J. Challice

Biologia plantarum 26:302, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902913

Priszter, S.: Arbores Fruticesque Europae. Vocabularium Octo Linguis Redactum.-

Z. Šesták

Biologia plantarum 26:308, 1984 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02902915